Portions and Control During the Holidays

The holidays roll in, and the diets roll out. You give in to the pies, gravy and endless baskets of homemade rolls. While that is the norm, it doesn’t need to be the case. Così, how can we remedy this seemingly inevitable dilemma?

Fill up on those vegetables:As a child growing up, I always had to eat my vegetables first before I could eat the rest of my dinner. As much as I hated it as a child, it is a great way to keep that waistline down now. Not only are vegetables low in calories, but they are also high in a variety of vitamins and minerals that are essential. Opt for the darkest, most vibrant colors, and be sure to include variety.Control the portions:Dessert is often a central part of the Thanksgiving season with pies so often stealing the show of the entire Thanksgiving feast production. We know it can be hard to miss out, but you don’t necessarily have to. Instead of having a whole piece of pumpkin pie, try a half a piece instead. It can still meet that craving with only 150 calorie.Essere consapevoli del fatto:Try to avoid mindless eating. Make an effort to slow down your eating and enjoy the company. Putting your fork down between bites can be beneficial in slowing down your pace. You never want to look down and suddenly realize your plate is empty, and you forgot to enjoy it.Be content with firsts:While particularly on Thanksgiving we are more than content with going back for seconds and sometimes even thirds, try to listen to your body. Operate by the “if you aren’t hungry, stop” principle. Generally as soon as you are no longer feeling hungry you have eaten an adequate amount of food. Too often we eat until we reach that feeling of fullness and in some occasions we don’t even stop there, and severely over indulge.Make smart decisions:Sometimes you just want to celebrate a little with a holiday meal. To not be stuck just eating a salad try to go with the healthier options if they are present. Go with a wheat roll over a white, the whole grains will provide higher fiber, more protein, and keep you fuller, longer. Try sweet potatoes over regular potatoes, they provide more fiber, vitamin A, and calcium than their traditional counterparts all for less calories. Just remember it is preferable to skip out on the marshmallows, brown sugar, and butter that so commonly accompany the wonderful orange root.

Make smart choices about what you put in your body, and just never forget to enjoy it!